Extensible reciprocating conveyer



July 3, 1951 4 JARIGE 2,559,192

EXTENSIBLE RECIPROCATING CONVEYER Filed Sept. 22, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor Xlnare Jar/ye Agents July 3, 1951 A. JARIGE 2,559,192

EXTENSIBLE RECIPROCATING CONVEYER Filed Sept. 22, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 lnvenfar Andre Jarlge By 14 g l 9-C@3 Agems July 3, 1951 A. JARIGE 2 EXTENSIBLE RECIPROCATING CONVEYER Filed Sept. 22, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fig] Im enfor Andre Jam e By I f I"! fi 'Agenf:

Patented July 3, 1951 EXTENSIBLE RECIPROCATING CONVEYER Andr Jarige, Freyming, France, assignor to Societe Porte & Gardin, Pas de Calais, France, a corporation of France Application September 22, 1948, Serial No. 50,588 In France October 1, 1947 Claims.

The present invention relates to shovelling installations called of the reciprocating conveyor type, such as are used in mines to shovel and transport coal and which comprise a moving path terminated by a shovelling head, the assembly being subjected to a to and fro, or reciprocating, movement adjusted in such a manner that the coal, or like material in heaps attacked by the shovelling head, is, owing to the to and fro movement, gradually transported towards the rear.

In installations of this type, it is advantageous when the position of the shovelling head, in relation to the rest of the reciprocating conveyor, can be modified without interrupting the to and fro movement of the reciprocating conveyor. It may be necessary, in actual practice, either to push the shovelling head forwards to attack new parts of the heap of coal or like material to be transported, or on the contrary to withdraw it towards the rear. Therefore, this invention relates particularly to novel mechanism for achieving the movement of the shovelling head relative to the reciprocating conveyor when desired.

The present invention has for its object to permit the obtaining of this result in a particularly simple manner with the help of simple members which are not costly and which are easy to manoeuvre.

To this end, the present invention consists in mounting the shovelling head on slides in relation to the line of reciprocating conveyor and in providing a device for fixing by binding the shovelling head in relation to the conveyor line.

In practice, according to the invention, the binding mechanism comprises essentially a foundation fixed either to the main conveyor, or to the shovelling head and comprising two clamp blocks, or slide bearings, of which one is integral with the device in question and of which the other is movable, but guided in relation to the device, and is arranged to press and to bind against the other clamp block the slide of the element (the shovelling head or main conveyor) to which the binding device is not fixed. The binding of the clamp block is preferably carried out, according to the invention, by means of an eccentric cam actuated by a lever. Equally by preference, according to the invention, this cam has three positions, one position of unclamping at which the shovelling head is freed for movement relative to the main conveyor, and which corresponds preferably to a vertical or substantially vertical position of the control lever, and two binding positions corresponding to opposite ppsitions in relation to the central position of the lever; one of these positions corresponds preferably to a strong binding or clamping action, and is used normally during the operation of the shovelling head, and the other position to a weaker binding or clamping action which is preferably used when it is required to carry out advancing or retracting movements of the shovelling head as will be hereinafter described in more detail.

Other objects and characteristics of the invention will appear during the course of the following description in relation to the attached drawings which represent schematically, by way of non-restrictive examples, different methods of realisation of the present invention.

Figure l is a side view of a device according to the invention, showing the coupling of the shovelling head with the main conveyor in a first method of realisation.

Figure 2 is a vertical section along the line II-II of Figure 1. In the method of realisation in question, the binding device is fixed to the extremity of the main conveyor and the slides are integral with the shovelling head. In addition, the fixed clamp block is underneath the slide and the movable block is above the slide.

Figures 3, 4 and 5 are views on a larger scale showing the operation of the binding device shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 6 is a similar view to Figure 1 of another method of realisation differing from that of Figure 1 by the fact that the binding device is attached to the shovelling head.

Figures 7 and 8 are similar views to Figures 1 and 2 of a third method of realisation in which the binding device being fixed to the main conveyor, the moving clamp block is placed underneath the slide and, finally Figure 9 is a similar view to Figures 1, 6 and 7 of a fourth method of realisation in which the binding device being fixed to the shovelling head, the moving clamp block is placed underneath the slide.

Referring more particularly to Figures 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, l denotes the heap of material to be loaded, 2 the shovelling head being part of the shovel conveyor 3 having in cross section the form shown in Figure 2 and which comprises laterally the flanges 4 by means of which the shovel conveyor can be clamped to the main conveyor according to the invention. Reference numeral 5 denotes the main conveyor arranged at a slightly lower level than that of the shovel conveyor, as may be clearly seen in Figure 2. The main conveyor 5 is reoiprocated to and fro by any of the ordinary and well known means for achieving such motion (not shown), and the structure employed for efiecting such reciprocation does not form a part of this invention. 6 denotes the foundation of the clamping device placed underneath the main conveyor and integral with the latter. To this foundation are secured two vertical arms I and 1 reinforced by stiifening ribs l2 and I2. The securing of the arms 1 and l to the foundation 6 is preferably effected, as is shown, in such a manner that the position of these arms is adjustable in height, and that for example by means of bolts 3 and 8 passing through slots 20 and 20 formed in arms I and 1'. 9 and 9 denote the fixed clamp blocks being part of the main conveyor body and I and ill the moving clamp blocks arranged in such a manner as to be able to slide on the arms I and I being held, for example, on these arms by hooks l I and II. Between the clamp blocks 9 and I0 is disposed the flange 4 of the shovel conveyor. At the upper part of arms '1 pivots at 21 and 2| the clamping element proper constituted by the cams l3 and 13 mounted on the control level [4. Each cam has the shape shown in the drawings in particular in Figures 3, 4 and 5. It comprises a neutral profile l5 comprised between two curved profiles l6 and Il suitably calculated, the one (profile 16) corresponds to a strong clamping (the angle of the radius vector to the normal of the profile of the cam is small) the other (profile ll) is of weaker clamping (greater angle). The neutral profile 15 is substantially rectilinear. In the position shown in Figure 3 (position of work), it is the profile l6 of strong clamping which is in action; the cam being strongly wedged in this position, the shovelling head is clamped to the main conveyor and consequently with the line of conveyors and reciprocates with it. The profile 16, when engaged with the movable clamp block I0, is calculated to avoid, in normal functioning, any displacement of the shovelling head 2 in relation to the main conveyor 5, but it permits however a relative sliding of these two pieces in the case where the shovelling head may come up against an abnormal resistance, this to lessen all mechanical deterioration of the installation.

In Figure 4 which corresponds to the intermediate position, the neutral profile I5 is opposite the clamp block la; the cam therefore liberates the moving clamp block l3 permitting sliding of the flange 4 relative to the blocks 9 and Ill and the shovelling head is unclamped from the main conveyor.

Finally, in the position shown in Figure 5, it is the profile ll of the cam which presses on the clamp block it; in this position the shovelling head is clamped to the main conveyor but in a moderate fashion which only brings about a light clamping permitting of rapid advancing and retreating manoeuvres of the shovelling head as V will be described.

' To realise, on the contrary, the retreat, the

4 same operation is made, but at the moment when the movement of advance of the conveyor is at its maximum elongation.

As the vertical position of the arms 1 is adjustable by means of bolts 8 extending through the slots 20, the distance from the axis of rotation of the cam l3 to the fixed clamp block 9 can be adjusted, which permits of good adjustment and of a taking up of play.

The device shown in Figure 6 is the same as that of Figure 1, except that the clamp device, instead of being fixed to the main conveyor, is mounted on the shovelling head. It reposes, therefore, on the soil on a sled runner I9. The functioning is exactly the same as in the preceding case except that the slide l8, which must be clamped between the two clamp blocks 9 and it carried by the shovelling head, is no longer part of the shovelling conveyor but is fixed instead to the main conveyor.

In the clampingdevice shown in Figures 7 and 8 and which is fixed to the main conveyor, the fixed clamp block 9 is placed above the flange 4 of the shovelling conveyor, whereas the moving clamp block H! is placed underneath and is actuated from underneath by the cam is manaauvred by the lever Hi. In this case, the arms forming the guide of the moving clamp block are not adjustable in height and it is the fixed clamp blocks 9 themselves which are adjustable in position by means of bolts extending through verti caily elongated slots formed in these arms.

Finally, Figure 9 represents a corresponding method of realisation, but in the case where the clamping device is attached to the shovelling head.

It must be understood that numerous modifications may be made to the device described Without departing from the scope of the present invention. The latter is furthermore applicable, obviously, not only to mines or quarries for the loading of coal or ores, but equally well anywhere Where it is necessary to load up materials disposed in heaps.

I claim:

1. In a conveyor structure having a reciprocating conveyor and an extensible shovelling conveyor extending from one end of said reciprocating conveyor; a clamping device for binding said conveyors together comprising a longitudinal slide member extending from one of said conveyors, a carrying member mounted on the other of said conveyors, a pair of spaced apart clamp blocks on said carrying member disposed on opposite sides of said slide member, one of said clamp blocks being fixed on said carrying member and the other of said clamp blocks being movable towards and away from said fixed clamp block, a cam member mounted on said carrying member and adapted to engage said movable clamp block and move the latter towards said fixed clamp block for clamping said slide mem-- ber therebetween, and means for operating said cam.

2. A clamping device according to claim 1,

wherein the slope of the profile of said cam is so formed as to insure the secure clamping of the slide member between said clamp blocks under normal conditions of operation, while permitting relative movement of the slide member and clamp blocks whenever the shovelling conveyor encounters an abnormal resistance.

3. A clamping device according to claim 1, wherein said cam member is pivotally mounted on said carryingmember and is formed with a profile including a portion thereof of relatively small slope for engagement with said movable clamp block to insure secure clamping of said slide member between said clamp blocks under normal conditions of operation, a portion of greater slope than said first mentioned portion of said profile and engageable with said movable clamp block to insure the clamping of said slide member during manoeuvring of said shovelling conveyor relative to said reciprocating conveyor, and a portion of neutral slope disposed between said first and second portions and adapted when engaged with said movable clamp block to permit free sliding movement of said slide member relative to said pair of clamp blocks.

4. A clamping device according to claim 1, wherein said cam member is pivotally mounted on said carrying member, and including means adjusting the distance between the fixed one of said pair of clamp blocks and the axis of pivoting of said cam member.

5. In a conveyor structure having a reciprocating conveyor and an extensible shovelling conveyor extending adjustably from one end of said reciprocating conveyor; a clamping device for binding said conveyors together comprising a pair of longitudinally extending slide members fixed respectively to the opposite sides of one of said conveyors, a carrying member secured to the other of said conveyors, two pairs of clamp blocks on said carrying member, each of said pairs of clamp blocks being positioned to receive one of said slide members therebetween, one of the clamp blocks of each of said pairs being fixed relative to said carrying member and the other of each pair being movable toward and away from the fixed one of each pair, a pair of cam members movably carried by said carrying member and respectively adapted to engage said movable clamp block towards the fixed one of the pair for clamping said slide members therebetween, and means connected to said pair of cam members for simultaneously operating said pair of cam members.

ANDRE JARIGE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,850,582 Ernsbarger Mar. 22, 1932 1,854,283 Walter Apr. 19, 1932 2,280,043 Hagenbook Apr. 14, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 317,896 Great Britain Aug. 26, 1929 468,062 Germany Nov. 5, 1928 

